Dessert/7 recipes

Mocha cake with chocolate buttercream frosting. An airy sponge cake soaked in orange syrup, filled and frosted with a coffee-chocolate buttercream made from Italian meringue.

Meringue pecan pie binds Ritz cracker crumbs and chopped pecans into a stiff egg-white meringue, then bakes into a chewy-crisp slice. No pie crust required. Top with ice cream or fresh fruit and whipped cream.

Savory peanut butter and sharp cheddar cookies with a buttery crumble. No sugar needed. These crispy, golden bites are the snack you didn't know you were craving.

This deep-dish pumpkin pie swaps the traditional pastry crust for a buttery brown sugar crumb topping with chopped nuts. Sweetened condensed milk and warm spices like cinnamon and allspice make every bite rich and creamy.

Whole Bartlett pears cored and filled with currant jelly, wrapped in golden puff pastry and baked, served pooled in Calvados caramel sauce. A bakery-window dessert that looks impossible but isn't.

Rosehip, Hibiscus & Currant Pie or Cake Filling recipe

Middle Eastern halvah cake made with tahini, semolina, and warm spices, soaked in a citrusy orange-lemon syrup. Dense, fragrant, and not overly sweet.

Luscious caramel banana pie layers oven-caramelized sweetened condensed milk over fresh banana slices in a graham crust, finished with whipped cream and crumbled toffee. Banoffee-style without the stovetop work.

Nutty tahini paste blended with fresh orange juice and zest creates a uniquely flavored Middle Eastern cake studded with walnuts and golden raisins.

When I go to potlucks, family gatherings or on hunting and fishing trips with my husband and son, this cake is one of my favorite desserts to bring. The flavorful cake stays moist as long as it lasts, which isn't long!

Hoernchen are German almond crescent cookies made with ground almonds, butter, and vanilla, dipped in colored sugar or sprinkles for a festive holiday cookie.

Mexican mocha balls: shortbread-style chocolate-coffee cookies with chopped walnuts and maraschino cherries, rolled in extra-fine sugar. Perfect for the holiday cookie tray.

This is one of the hottest recipes in New York right now. It was on the menu at Le Caprice and also at the buzzing new gastropub The Breslin. Now that strawberry season is almost over you can substitute raspberries with equally outstanding results.

A delicious recipe to bake apples into a juicy dessert. Have one or two scoop after your main course to finish the meal without worrying about too many calories.

Microwave strawberry cheesecake lightened with stiffly beaten egg whites for an airy, mousse-like texture. A no-bake-style cheesecake on a zwieback crust with sour cream topping and fresh strawberries.

Mini carrot cakes with chutney, coconut, walnuts, and warm spices baked in mini muffin tins. Topped with cream cheese frosting for bite-sized party treats.